Packaging-machine



F. L. LLOYD.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 14, 191?.

Patented Mar. 22,1921.

8& no: attozwuai w w' w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKL. LLOYD, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T 'rrrn CROWN conirnivnSEAL COMPANYOF BALTIMORE CITY, A conronn'rron or MARYLAND.

PACKAGING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented llal. 1921.

Application filed November 14, 1917. Serial No. 201,912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, FRANK L. Lnor'o, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new anduseful Improve ments in Packaging-Machines, fully described andrepresented in the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of thesame.

This invention relates to packaging machines. Incertain types ofpackaging machines, for example, in certain bottle capping apparatus,thebottles to be capped are centered in capping position by the aid of aspider provided with bottle-receiving pockets, this spider being rotatedwith the bottlesupporting table to carry the bottles to and away fromthe position where the capping operationis performed. .Such a spider isusually designed for use with bottles of only one size and for rotationin only onedirection; 7

, It is one of the objects of the present invention to provideapparatus, including a bottle-centering spider, such that. inter-.tchangeable spiders may be readily substituted to make the machineavailable for use with different sized bottles, and such that in case aspider ofone rotational direction is used,.it may readily be madeavailable for use in the reverse direction.

Itisfa further objectof the invention to provide apparatus including abottle-centering spider, such that, the spider may. readily be adjustedon its drive shaft;

Still a further object of the inventionvis to provide apparatus of thetype mentioned includinga pocket-blocking'plate for blocking ofi anygiven pocket to prevent the entrance of a bottle, such that the blockingplate may be securely but detachably held in lace. i Q

The following specification describes and the accompanyingdrawingillustrates apparatus. constructed inaccordance with the invention, itbeing understood that changes may be made in the form, eonstructionandarrangement ofthe parts without departing thereof.

from the invention, the form. herein. disclosed being a preferredembodiment In the drawingT embodying the invention, showing thebottle-centering spider from above;

Fig.2 is a view ofthe same in vertical cross section, with parts in sideelevation;

Fig. ,3 is a detail viewin vertical section is. provided with aplurality of bottle pads 14 on which the bottles are seated during thecappingoperation, three of these pads being shown inthe presentinstance. -At 15 s represented, more or less diagrammati- ,cally, acapping mechanism, which may be a single capping head or the cappingposition of one of :a plurality of heads having an orbital movementwithrespect to the table.

Above the ftable is a bottle-centering spider 16 comprising upper andlower plates 21, S0.ztl1ttt the bottles may be engaged at two points asregards their height. These bottle-engaging plates, the form of which isclearly shown in Fig. 1, are provided with bottle-receiving pockets 17those of the.

lower plate being in verticalalinement with those of the upper plate.Three of these pockets are shown in the present instance. This spider isrotatedas hereinafter. described, and during the rotation of table andspider, bottles are fed in such maner that as .eachpocket 17 reachescapping position, a

bottle is centered insuch pocket, so as tobe properly placed :for thecapping operation.

Apparatus embodying the invention in: cludes a spider comprisingabottle-engaging portionand a driven portion, the former being removablyconnected with. the latter,

H and in. the most advantageous embodiments the twoelements are separateand have-cooperating conecting portions, as, for example, portionsmutually engaging with a slip fit. Although capable of variousconstruction, in that illustrated the driven portion of the spider is inthe nature of ahub 18 operably connectedwiththeshaft 11 in any suitablemanner, as, for example, by

the connection hereinafterfdescribed. The

bottle-engaging. portion comprises the two plates'2l which are separateelements. In order that the bottle-engaging .portion may be removably'connected with the hub, or driven'portion, the latter is provided withupper and lower flanges 19 which carry pins 20, the upper pins extendingupwardly and the loweronesdownwardly, and the plates- 21 are providedwith openings having a slip fit over these pins. The spiderplates of thedesired design are thus connected with the driven portion by slippingthem onto the pins, theplates when in place bearing 22 which aretightened against the spider plates 21 to clamp themagainst the hubflanges. A number of spider plates of different design to correspondwith the different bottles'to be capped, may be provided andwhen it isdesired to substitute different plates or to reverse the plates in usefor rotation in the'oppos'ite direction, it is only necessary .to-"loosen the nuts 22, slip" the plates from the pins, slip' on thesubstituted or reversed plates, and tighten the nuts again.

' Apparatus embodyingdthe invention in its entirety includes, inconnection with a drive shaft, a bottle-centering spider connectedtherewith in a manner to be adjusted thereon. This .may be accomplished,for

" example, "by a structure in which the spider -is' frictional'lyconnected with the shaft. In

i 7 ample, by moving the bushingby means of theembodiment illustrated,the spider, as already'described, hasa driven portion or hub 18. Thishulo. is'formed, with a tapered-bore, as shown in'Fig. 2. Fitting inthis bore, between the hub. andthe shaft, is a tapered or wedge-shapedsplit bushing 23. When this bushing is wedged into position, it acts tofrictionally connect the hub of the spider with the shaft, so that thespider may be driven thereby, and at the "same time the connection isuch that adjustment on the shaft may be readily 'made when desired.

Means is provided for forcing the bushing into; position, for holding itin such position',,and for readily withdrawing it therefrom, This beaccomplished, for exa movable member having connection with i thebushing. Although capable of various constructions, in the presentembodiment, threaded into the interior of the top nut 22 is a'nut2t,This nutwhen in place engagesathe. top .iof the bushing so that Whenthenut 'screvved down it forces the bushing downinto proper position'tohold the hub to the'shaft. In order that opposite movement of the nutmay withdraw the bushing from such position, the top of the bushing isformed with a flange-like shoulder 123 which fits over an internalflangelikeshoulder 124: 011 the nut 21-, as appears in Fig. 2. Byscrewing down the nut 2i the bushing is forced down into securingposition and held there, and to rc-seat, readjust or disassemble theparts, it is only necessary to move the nut in the opposite direction,thus withdrawing the bushing and freeing the hub. In order to facilitateassembling, the nut 24L may be split.

The invention includes. in connection with the bottle spider, a blockingplate for preventing any one of the bottle-receiving pockets fromreceiving a bottle, one of these elements haying a connecting member provided with a portion capacitatcd to make locking engagement with aportion of the other element. As an example, the spider plate may havean opening for receiving a connecting member on the blocking plate,means being provided for locking the memher in the opening. Althoughcapable of various constructions, in that shown a blocking plate 25 isprovided of the form illustrated in Fig. 1, and such that when in placeit blocks off one of the bottle-receiving pockets. Riveted in theblocking plate near its ends,'a.re flanged pins 26 carrying split springwashers 27 formed with a circumferential groove 28. Corresponding tothese pins, openings 29 are formed in the spider plates and theseopenings are beveled to form an interior flange 30, as more clearlyappears in Fig. 3. When the blocking plate is in position, its inneredge bears against the flange 19 and it is secured to the spider byforcing the connecting pins into the openings 29, the washer expandingto cause its groove to interlock with the flange 30. This securely locksthe blocking plate to the spider, but removal is readily made by anysuitable tool for disengaging the spring washer from the flange 80. Itwill be seen from Fig. 1 that the openings 29 are spaced about thespider, so that the blocking plate may be inserted to block ofi any oneof the several pockets.

Although the term bottle has been used throughout. it is to beunderstood that it is used in a broad sense, and as an example of anytype of receptacle capable of use in the type of machine here involved.Furthermore, while the spider has been shown and described in connectionwith a bottlecapping mechanism. it is understood that the invention isnot limited to such use.

What is claimed is:

1. In packaging machines,a bottle centering spider having a plurality ofbottle engaging units, a blocking plate for rendering any one of saidunits inoperative. and a connecting member carried by one of saidelements, and having a portion capacitated to make locking engagementwith a portion of the other of said elements.

2. In packaging machines, a bottle centering spider having a pluralityof bottle engaging units, a blocking plate for rendering any one of saidunits inoperative, a connecting member on said plate, said spider havingan opening for receiving said connecting mem er, and means for lockingsaid member in said opening.

3. In a packaging apparatus, adriven hub, an interchangeable spiderplate having a plurality of bottle receiving pockets formed therein, aflange on said hub on which said spider plate rests, and a dowel forlocating the spider plate.

4. n a packaging apparatus, a driven hub, an interchangeable spiderplate having a plurality of bottle receivin pockets formed therein, aflange on sai' hub on which the spider plate rests, a dowel for 10-catin the spider late, and means for detacha ly locking t e spider platein position.

5. In a packagin apparatus, a driven hub, an interchangea 1e spiderplate having a plurality of bottle receiving pockets formed therein, aflange on said hub on which the spider plate rests, a dowel for locatingthe spider plate, and a lock nut in threaded engagement with said hubfor detachably locking the spider plate in position.

6. In a packaging apparatus, a hub, means operable from the end of thehub for locking the hub to a shaft, two reversible spider plates havinga plurality of bottle receiving pockets formed therein, and means fordetachably connecting said spider lates to said hub at a distance fromeach ot er.

7 In packagingmachines,a bottle centering spider having a plurality ofbottle engaging units, a blocking plate for render- 1ng any one of saidunits inoperative, a connecting member carried by one of said elements,the other element having an opening to receive the same, and a splitspring Washer on said connecting member for locking the blocking plateto the spider.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK L. LLOYD.

